The most efficient rushing teams in the NFL

By Dave Brown

Earlier this month, I looked at the running game in the NFL for every team going back to the year 2000, looking for the most 'prolific rushing team'. There are several ways to look at the definition of prolific.

What I did was simple, I looked at what teams had 1,000 yard rushers, and the team with the highest of 1,000 yard rushers would then fit my definition of a prolific rushing team. Well, I ended up with a tie between the Tennessee Titans and New York Giants. Each team had 1,000 yard rushers for 10 of the possible 12 seasons going back to the year 2000. A team can have a great running back, but I think a team that has different running backs go over the 1,000 yard mark is a more prolific rushing team, so I went with the Titans as the most prolific rushing team in the NFL.

Another way to look at prolific rushing teams would be to look at the number of rushing attempts. I have once again went back to the start of the 2000 season and looked at every rushing attempt for every team, then added them, then took the averages for attempts per season and attempts per game. There are 192 games to look at, so in all but one instance, that is the number used to get the average per game. The Houston Texans start in 2002, so 160 games and 10 years were used to get those averages.

Porter to retire a Steeler

by Ryan Ebert

After 13 years in the NFL veteran linebacker Joey Porter decides to hang it up, and wants to retire with the team he first started with.  Porter said that he would be honored to retire a Steeler.

“That’s where I started at, It’ll be an honor to go out there and retire as a Steeler. Started there, end there. Thirteen years. I never thought I’d play that long when I first started.”

In those 13 years Porter was a four-time Pro Bowler that finished with 170 starts, 503 tackles, 98 sacks, 25 forced fumbles, 12 interceptions, and 46 pass deflections.  The thirty-five year-old played with the Arizona Cardinals the last two years and before that played three seasons with the Miami Dolphins.

 “I plan on retiring this year,” Porter said. “I already talked to the Steelers, put some plans together on signing with the Steelers and retiring as a Steeler. It was a good career. I have no regrets about nothing.”

Porter said that health was a big factor in his decision.

“Not being able to get 100 percent healthy to play at the level I am accustomed to playing at,” Porter said, telling about the reason. “The last two years, I tried to play and I wasn’t out there as healthy as I’ve been in the past. This year, I knew my knee wasn’t getting any better as far as this season. It made the decision kinda easy, actually.”

Steelers president Art Rooney II, GM Kevin Colbert, and the coaches were talked to by Porter.

“They welcomed me back,” he said. “I’ll sign back with them.“ 

Antwaan Randle El to retire after nine seasons

by Ryan Ebert

Veteran wide receiver Antwaan Randal El decides to retire as his brother said in an email.  He was a quarterback at Indiana University before being drafted in the second round by Pittsburgh and moving to wide receiver.  In his nine years he has racked up 370 receptions  for 4,467 yards and 15 touchdowns.  He averaged 22.3 yards on 79 kick returns with a touchdown and 8.2 yards on 311 punt returns with 5 touchdowns.

Pittsburgh did utilize his passing skills from time to time.  Randle El in his career threw 16-18 for 170 yards and 4 of his 6 touchdowns came with the Steelers.  In the playoffs he completed one of three passes with a 43 yard touchdow strike to Hines Ward in the Steelers Super Bowl XL win over the Seattle Seahawks.  He became the only WR to throw a touchdown pass in the Super Bowl when that happened.

After that Super Bowl Randle El signed a $31 million contract for 7 years with the Washington Redskins.  Randle-El started 48 of 63 games catching 186 passes for 2,202 yards and 8 of his career 15 touchdowns.

The Redskins released him in 2010, and he returned to the Steelers one more time.  After last year's lockout the team terminated his contract.

On November 4, 2011 he worked out with the Detroit Lions, but did not get signed has been out of football since.

"Slash" finally retires

by Ryan Ebert

At the age of 39 the player formerly known as "Slash", Kordell Stewart, has finally retired seven years after he last stepped onto the field. Stewart will sign a one-day contract with the Steelers before he "officially" retires. He was listed as the #6 most versatile player in NFL history for his ability to play QB/RB/WR/KR/P. "Slash" went to the Pro Bowl once in 2001 when Pittsburgh went 13-3. 

William Gay turns to the Cardinals

by Ryan Ebert

Pittsburgh Steelers cornerback William Gay has signed a deal to play for the Arizona Cardinals for the next two years.  Gay in his five year career with the Steelers has put up 205 tackles, 3 sacks, 43 pass deflections, 3 interceptions, 2 forced fumbles, and 2 fumble recoveries.

Age of every NFL team heading into free agency

By Dave Brown


Heading into the NFL free agency and draft periods of the off season, which teams are looking to get younger? Well, we know that going into the 2011 season, the Detroit Lions were the oldest team in the NFL, with the oldest offense and 9th oldest defense. The Lions are probably looking to get younger.

Back in August of 2011, ESPN calculated these team ages, not using special teams players. Looking at that list, one can see how the San Francisco 49ers both improved and got younger before the start of last season.